Orson Ferguson Whitney (1855-1931)
}} LDS Church Apostle and Biographer Vital Stats * Son of Horace Kimball Whitney (1823-1884) and Helen Mar Kimball (1828-1896) * 1855-Jul-01 : Birth in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, Utah Territory * 1879-Dec-18 : Marriage (1) to Zina Beal Smoot (1859-1900) in Salt Lake City, Utah * 1888-Jul-24 : Marriage (2) to Mary Minerva Wells (1855-1935) in Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico''' * 1931-May-16 : Died in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, Utah, USA. Buried next day at Salt Lake City Cemetery Biography Whitney was a politician, journalist, poet, historian and academic. In 1878, as a young man, Whitney began a career in writing with the business office of the LDS newspaper, the Deseret News, later becoming a reporter and the city editor. During a mission in Europe for the LDS Church from 1881 to 1883, he acted as editor of the church publication Millennial Star. In 1896–1897, Whitney taught English and Theology at Brigham Young College, in Logan, Utah. In 1899, Whitney accepted the position of Assistant Church Historian and served in that position until he was called as an apostle. Whitney was also involved in the politics of Salt Lake City and Utah. He served on the Salt Lake City Council in 1880, acted as City Treasurer from 1884 to 1890, and served as a State Senator in 1898, and again in 1901. Orson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from April 9, 1906 until his death. Family Ancestry Orson is a grandson of LDS Pioneer, Heber Chase Kimball (1801-1868). He is also a cousin to fellow LDS Apostle and later 12th President of the LDS Church, Spencer Woolley Kimball (1895-1985). His wife had a brother, Reed Smoot, who was both an elected US Senator, for Utah and an Apostle in the LDS Church. Marriage & Family Children of Orson Whitney and Zina Smoot # Horace Newell Whitney (1880-1908) - died age 28 # Heber Kimball Whitney (1882-1883) - died young # Emily Whitney (1885-1973) - m. Winslow Farr Smith # Helen Margaret Whitney (1887-1962) - m. John Timpson # Margaret Whitney (1889-1968) - m. Lester Essig # Charles Byron Whitney (1891-1943) - m. Lillian Russell # Albert Owen Whitney (1893-1963) - m. Eva Ransom # Virginia Clayton Whitney (1899-1984) - twin, m. Donald James # Paul Van Cott Whitney (1899-1942) - twin, m. Evelyn Ganschow Children of Orson Whitney and Mary Wells # Murray Wells Whitney (1892-1972) - m. Martha Savage # Wendell Webb Whitney (1895-1971) - m. Mary Christensen Vital Records 1900 US Census Taken 1900-Jun-01 at Salt Lake City, 4th Precinct. Residence 45 East 1st North Street - Note his wife Zina had just died earlier in the year, leaving behind one year old twins. His second wife, Mary Wells must have still been living in Mexico, she is not found in the 1900 US Census. * Whitney, Orson F (Jul 1855) (M-44) Head of Household / ocp: Church Historian * Whitney, Horace N (Oct 1881) (M-18) Son / ocp: Reporter * Whitney, Emily (Jan 1884) (F-15) - daughter * Whitney, Helen M (Aug 1886) (F-14) - daughter * Whitney, Margaret (Aug 1890) (F-9) - daughter * Whitney, Chas B. (Jul 1892) (M-7) - son * Whitney, Albert O (Sep 1894)(M-5) - son * Whitney, Paul V (Apr 1899) (M-1) - Son * Whitney, Virginia (Apr 1899 (F-1) - Daughter * Christensen, Lovina, (Sep 1879) (F-20) - Servant 1910 US Census Taken 1910 at the Salt Lakde City 41st District. House 160 on Fourth Avenue. His second wife and their two sons have moved into the home. Byron is listed as a missionary, he may be out of state. * Whitney, Orson F (M-54) - head / ocp: Apostle - Mormon Church * Whitney, Mary Wells (F-54) - wife * Whitney, Margaret (F-20) - daughter * Whitney, Byron (M-18) - son / ocp: Missionary - Mormon Church * Whitney, Murray W (M-17) - son / ocp: Office Boy - Railroad * Whitney, Albert O (M-16) - son * Whitney, Wendell W (M-14) - son * Whitney, Paul (M-11) - son * Whitney, Virginia (F-11) - daughter References * Spencer Kimball Family Ancestry * - Wikipedia * Orson F Whitney - LDS Blogs - Leaders * The Whitney Awards - Issued in honor of Orson F Whitney for outstanding works by LDS Authors. * Orson F Whitney - Religion Wikia __SHOWFACTBOX__ Category:19th-century American writers Category:19th-century Mormon missionaries Category:American general authorities (LDS Church) Category:American Latter Day Saint hymnwriters Category:American Latter Day Saint writers Category:American Mormon missionaries in the United Kingdom Category:19th-century American poets Category:American male poets Category:Apostles (LDS Church) Category:Brigham Young College faculty Category:Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery Category:Deaths from influenza Category:Editors of Latter Day Saint publications Category:Infectious disease deaths in Utah Category:Kimball–Snow–Woolley family Category:Latter Day Saint poets Category:Mormon missionaries in Europe Category:Official historians of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Category:Writers from Salt Lake City Category:People of Utah Territory Category:People's Party (Utah) politicians Category:Utah Democrats Category:Utah State Senators Category:19th-century male writers